Rated one of Pennsylvania's top blog/sites, the LuLac Political Letter delves into issues of politics on all levels (with special concentration on Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties: thus the name LULAC) and pop culture.
The LuLac Political Letter was also named Best Political Blog of the Year for 2014 by NEPA BLOGCON and most recently David Yonki was named Best Blogger of the year 2015 by the publication Diamond City.

Sunday, September 06, 2009

The LuLac Edition #932, Sept. 6th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: THE THINKER.

DIFFERING VIEWS

Today I am going to give you two points of view on the late Ted Kennedy. The first was a letter to the editor that pretty much outraged me. It is a perfect example of the blind hatred, vitriol and ignorance that any one in public service gets these days living or dead. I chose not to include the name of the person who wrote it and sent to the Citizen's Voice because why reward stupidity. The other is a column written last week by former State Represetative Kevin Blaum. Interesting comparison and contrast:

Editor:Now that Ted Kennedy has finally died, it's time now for the Democrats and the liberal news media to canonize this alcoholic womanizing coward to the level of sainthood.This guy was nothing but a spineless loudmouth flaming liberal who should have spent 20 years behind bars for running from the scene of an accident he caused that took the life of Mary Jo Kopechne in 1969. Will any of the newspapers or media mention this? No!Anybody else, including every reader of this letter, would have done serious time, but not the Kennedys. Good old Teddy boy ran from the scene that left Mary Jo fighting for her life. Then spineless Ted hid in the bushes frozen with fear of being caught with her so he watched as she slowly drowned. Then the quivering whiskey soaked jellyfish denied for two days that he was even there.Unfortunately this young girl put her trust in this low-life self-centered coward and he ended up killing her,Maybe the liberal media should spend the next few days reflecting on young Mary Jo Kopechne's destroyed life and apologize to her family instead of hailing this drunken fool's booze drenched scandal ridden political career. Thank God for our country this mud slinging tequila worm never bought his way into the White House.Rest in peace Mary Jo, the coward alcoholic that took your future, your hopes and your dreams the man who ruined your family and murdered your young life finally has to answer for his.

DECADES AGO, a senator from Massachusetts had the radical idea that people who lost their jobs should not be forced to lose their health care. He believed your children should not automatically lose their health insurance simply because they were no longer full-time students covered by most group health plans.His proposal was roundly criticized and called “liberal.” Undeterred, he fought hard. His idea, his creation, was slipped into Title X of the 1985 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. You call it COBRA. It has helped millions of American families and no one calls it “liberal” anymore. The man who dreamed it up and got President Reagan to sign it is widely believed to be the greatest U.S. senator ever, Ted Kennedy.A member of the Senate for nearly a half century, Edward Moore Kennedy worked with 10 presidents in 24 sessions of the U.S. Congress and is the third longest-serving senator in our nation’s history.Elected to the Senate in 1962, he first introduced a universal health care bill in 1970.Here was a man who never had to worry about health insurance or what it might cost. Yet, with fewer employers providing it, he worried about health insurance for your children and your grandchildren. He wondered who will cover them when you’re gone and how will they ever afford it.Today his idea is front and center. It is a sad irony that Kennedy is not here to push it across the finish line, and should it get there, he will not be present to vote “Aye.”Kennedy also fought for landmark legislation to be administered by the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid.” Kennedy got President Nixon to sign it. It is known as the 1972 U.S. Educational Amendments. You probably know it as Title IX.The impact of Title IX upon women’s sports is well known. But as a result of Title IX, women who received 9 percent of all medical degrees in 1972 today earn well over 40 percent of them. In 1972, women received 7 percent of law degrees; today it’s more than 45 percent. In 1972, women received 20 percent of all doctorates; today it hovers around 50 percent.Kennedy also was not afraid to take on issues he knew to be hopeless. He had a knack for winning even when he lost. In 2002 there were only 23 Senate votes against the Iraq War. Kennedy called his vote in the negative “the best vote” he ever cast in the Senate.Sen. Kennedy also fought for JFK’s Civil Rights Act in 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Americans with Disabilities Act, increases in the minimum wage, family leave, funding to combat HIV and AIDS, campaign finance reform, Medicare prescriptions, OSHA, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and so much more.Former Senate Republican leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, a friend of Kennedy’s, called his passing “a loss for all mankind.” Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, refers to Kennedy as “my treasured friend.”It is said that Sen. Kennedy, the man Republicans loved to publicly pillory, was, in reality, much beloved by his Republican and Democratic colleagues alike. If there were more private cooperation like that and less public posturing, perhaps Sen. Kennedy’s sensible dream could soon become law.Like Kennedy’s COBRA, President Obama’s Public Health Care Option, once enacted, will be little more than common sense.

Kevin Blaum

See the difference between the two is that one is just filled with vile and hate, the other thoughtful facts. Freedom of speech doesn't mean everybody should listen or take it seriously. Opinion #1 is a perfect example.

Check the venom spit out against conservatives on blogs from the Huffington Post and moveon.org and then we can discuss. There are nuts on both sides...you used to be half-way even handed, but you've flown right over to the nut side, Dave.

Parents, Whatever you do dont let your kids hear what the President of the United States has to say to them. He may take the opportunity to convert them to Islam. Worse yet he might talk to them about the importance of education or the value of hard work and study. You know kids, he isnt everyone's President. He has radical socialist ideas and thinks people should have healthcare and a choice. You see kids, we've decided simply not to respect this man for a variety of real or imagined reasons and we cant afford to take a chance on you. We do want you to learn to respect the office of President, but only when the fella we agree with is in office. God bless you kids.

IN RESPONSEThere are nuts on both sides...you used to be half-way even handed, but you've flown right over to the nut side, Dave.10:15 PMIT GETS PRETTY DIFFICULT TO BE EVEN HANDED WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT CALLING TEDDY KENNEDY A KILLER, WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO KEEP THEIR KIDS HOME BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO GIVE A SPEECH IN SCHOOL, BECAUSE THE ENTIRE HEALTH CARE DEBATE FROM THE RIGHT IS BASED ON LIES AND WHEN THE DEFICIT HAWKS OF TODAY ARE SO WORRIED ABOUT DEBT WHEN THEY FREELY RANG UP BILLIONS TO SEND KIDS TO IRAQ WITHOUT BODY ARMOUR TO BE KILLED IN A WAR THAT WAS FOUGHT FOR NO GOOD REASON. IF THAT'S MOVING ME TO THE FRINGE NUT LEFT, MAYBE IT'S ABOUT TIME. However only Kennedy killed Mary Jo.YEAH, TED KENNEDY WOKE UP ON THE MORNING OF JULY 19th, 1969 AND LOOKED IN THE MIRROR AND SAID, "TODAY I'M GONNA KILL ME A WOMAN FROM PLYMOUTH, PENNSYLVANIA." IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. SHE DIED. HIS ACTION CONTRIBUTED TO HER DEATH BUT HE DID NOT KILL HER!!! WHEN YOU KILL SOMEONE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE INTENT. HE DID NOT. GET OVER THIS ALL READY. I HOPE TO GOD THAT WHOEVER YOUR GOD IS WINDS UP NOT BEING AS JUDGEMENTAL TO YOU AS YOU ARE TO TEDDY KENNEDY.

Say what you want...tell me how this is going to be paid for. Give me that fact and we'll debate.

"WHEN YOU KILL SOMEONE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE INTENT. HE DID NOT."

Um, no; when you "kill" someone, they wind up dead. Generally defined, when you commit the crime of Murder, you have to have intent. Was it an accident, and did he not have intent? Absolutely. Was this a crime where 99.9% of the rest of the population would have done time on a manslaughter rap? You betcha.

IN RESPONSEKennedy's complicity has been rationalized since that fateful day. He could have made an attempt to save her. He didn't. I will grant you one thing: God's attention to that detail.YEAH I'M SURE GOD'S STRESSING OVER THAT ONE!

About Me

Political analyst for WBRE TV's Pa. Live program and post election commentator for WBRE TV's Eyewitness News Daybreak show. Author of the book "A Radio Story/We Wish You Well In Your Future Endeavors" and "Leges Vitae" "26 Rules of Life" and the new novel, "Weather Or Knot". The blog editor also writes various news articles and columns as well as upcoming literary projects. The blog editor was a frequent guest on WYOU TV'S INTERACTIVE NEWSCASTS when political issues were discussed on the national, state and local level. Yonki was a weekly panelist on WYLN TV 35's Friday Topic A program. He also appeared on the Hazleton, PA. station on Election Night doing coverage and did special projects and stories for WYLN TV 35's 10PM Newscast "Late Edition".